David Duckenfield admitted he did not act as a reasonably competent match commander on the day of the Hillsborough disaster, as the inquests heard his “oversight” led to the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans.

The former chief superintendent was questioned by Rajiv Menon QC, representing 75 of the families, as he gave evidence in Birchwood Park, Warrington, for a third day.

Mr Duckenfield, who admitted a series of mistakes during questioning yesterday, accepted that a competent commander would have foreseen that after exit gate C was opened at the semi-final on April 15, 1989, fans would go down the tunnel to the central pens.

When asked if he was saying he was incompetent, the 70-year-old replied: “I will leave others to make that judgement.”

Coroner Sir John Goldring asked Mr Duckenfield: “You are saying, are you, that a reasonably competent match commander would have foreseen where fans should go?”

Mr Duckenfield said yes.

The coroner asked: “You are saying that a reasonably competent match commander would have closed the tunnel?”

Mr Duckenfield agreed.

The coroner said: “Does it therefore follow - tell me if I have misunderstood - that on the day you did not act as a reasonably competent match commander?”

Watch: footage shown at the inquests so far of David Duckenfield at Hillsborough

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Mr Menon suggested that Mr Duckenfield’s failure to close the tunnel leading to the pens where the fatal crush happened amounted to “gross negligence”.

Mr Duckenfield replied: “In my view it was not negligent and it most certainly was not grossly negligent.”

But he accepted it was a “blunder of the first magnitude”.

The former South Yorkshire Police officer was asked why it had taken almost 26 years for him to admit to mistakes on the day.

Mr Menon said: “Why has it taken you nearly 26 years to come clean and admit, at long last, that you made critical mistakes, that contributed to the disaster and the deaths of the 96 Liverpool fans who died?”

Mr Duckenfield said: “I ask for no pity, I ask for no sympathy, because my difficulties do not compare with those of the families.

“But I was possibly in denial and I never found a venue or an opportunity where I could meet with someone and speak to them honestly and openly and ensure that my thought and my feelings would be reported fairly, and yesterday this court gave me the opportunity to sit here and apologise fully for the first time without fear of anybody misrepresenting what I was saying.”

Mr Menon said: “If the families, many of whom are in court today, and their supporters had not waged a courageous and unrelenting campaign that culminated in the High Court in 2012 quashing the determinations made at the original inquests before Dr Popper and ordering these new inquests, you would never have made the public admissions under oath that you made this week.”

A sea of flowers covers half the pitch at Anfield after the tragedy

But Mr Duckenfield said he did not necessarily agree with that.

Mr Duckenfield said he couldn’t recall whether he had told FA officials in the control box that there had been an inrush of Liverpool supporters, after he told them a gate had been forced by fans.

Mr Duckenfield said no.

Mr Duckenfield said no.

The match commander denied that a lie he told was the start of a “false narrative” designed to blame the fans.

Mr Duckenfield, who today told the inquests he had been a Freemason at the time of the disaster, yesterday admitted lying to FA chief executive Graham Kelly about fans forcing the gate into the ground.

Today the former chief superintendent said that had been a “lie by omission”, because he had been referring to the first opening of gate C at 2.48pm - when about 150 fans entered the ground and he wrongly thought the gate had been forced.

He accepted he had not told Mr Kelly that he had ordered the gate to be opened to allow fans in at 2.52pm.

Rajiv Menon QC, speaking on behalf of 75 of the families, said: “So you are not admitting that anything you actually said was a lie?”

Mr Duckenfield said: “Perfectly true.”

Mr Menon suggested to Mr Duckenfield the lie was significant.

He said: “It was the beginning of the creation of a false narrative a false story about Hillsborough wasn’t it?”

David Duckenfield arrives at Hillsborough Inquests for his third day of evidence

He added: “A false narrative that sought to blame Liverpool fans for what had happened and concealed the truth about your failings and the failings of other senior South Yorkshire Police officers?”

Mr Duckenfield disagreed. Mr Menon said the false narrative had survived to this day.

He added: “And has been pursued at these inquests by your lawyers on your behalf, that’s right, isn’t it?”

Mr Duckenfield said: “My lawyers are acting in my best interests.”

Mr Duckenfield was asked about being a Freemason and told the court he had been a member of the society since 1975.

He said the year after the disaster he became “worshipful master” at his lodge.

He said there was a rumour that Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Anderson was also a Mason, but he did not think Chief Constable Peter Wright was a member.

Chief Constable of the South Yorkshire Police Department Peter Wright

Mr Duckenfield was asked whether his promotion to chief superintendent of F Divison, a role which included being match commander at Hillsborough, was linked to Freemasonry.

He said: “I wouldn’t know sir, but I would hope not.”

Mr Duckenfield told the court he did think that fans had played a part in the cause of the tragedy.

He said: “In my position in the control box, I cannot say from first hand evidence that drunken and ticketless fans attended at the stadium.

“What I can say is I have heard various stories and I have picked up things as things have gone along, but my first hand experience is, I did not see any drunken ticketless fans.”

He added: “I am of the view that many people on that day contributed to the disaster and I hold the view that football fans played a part.”